Law of Polarity
by CitrusCutie127
Summary: They are polar opposites, yet cannot help but be irresistibly drawn to one another. A collection of one-shots and short fiction based on our favorite Young Justice Spitfire couple.
1. Masquerade

It has been a while since I last composed any sort of fanfiction, but after watching and becoming addicted to the new Cartoon Network show _Young Justice_, I could not help but to pick up my pen and start writing again. _Masquerade_ is the first one-shot within my Artemis/Wally fiction collection, and I sincerely hope that all of you will enjoy it! Please also do not hesitate to provide me with any sort of feedback; all constructive criticisms are welcomed!_  
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Masquerade

"_Love takes off masks that we fear we cannot live without and know we cannot live within." –James Arthur Baldwin_

It was the only way she knew how to protect herself, to prevent herself from succumbing to the turbulent emotions that are currently toying with her mind. She hides behind the façade of indifference and sarcasm, in the hopes that he would never truly understand her. Sometimes she feels capable- even _confident_- that she could fool him. Eventually, maybe she would be able to fool herself, to rid herself of the thought that he was more than a mere teammate, a mere friend. Maybe if she practices indifference long enough, it would eventually envelop her and become a part of her identity. Emotions are for the weak; they render people gullible and vulnerable, combined with the willingness to sacrifice anything and everything for the ones they love. She had already decided she was capable of discarding all of her emotions altogether, that the only person she could trust was herself.

Yet, despite her resolution, her heart, like a beguiling conman, continues to play tricks on her. How else could she explain the butterflies that flutter in her stomach whenever he is in close proximity, or the delicious shivers that travel down her spine whenever he utters her name? Why else would she flare up in jealousy whenever he flirts with M'gann, with muscular arms casually encircling her narrow waist as if he did not have a single care in the world? She loathed how outgoing he was, with his jabbing remarks and witty jokes and presumptuous opinions. If Artemis were a leather-bound journal locked with a key, then Wally was definitely one of those magazines sold at newsstands, its content free and available for everyone to browse through. He had nothing to hide and nothing to be afraid of, whereas Artemis preferred to remain in the shadows, her various secrets and thoughts tucked safely within the vicinity of her mind.

However, what frightened her the most was not his extroverted personality, nor his tendency to play the role of "Casanova" around attractive women. She could tolerate these traits; even toss a couple of sarcastic remarks in his direction. What she simply could not tolerate-no, absolutely _hated_- were moments when it seemed he could see right through her façade, her mask. His gaze, honest and unfazed, leaves her feeling vulnerable and exposed, with no other place to hide. Yet she finds it so exceedingly difficult not to stare back into his bright emerald eyes, to pull herself away from the hypnotic effect he seemed to have on her.

Since when did controlling her emotions become so damn hard? Since when was another person able to penetrate the carefully constructed walls she had built around herself, with nothing more than a simple gaze?

She had met her match with Wally West.


	2. Chemistry

Arthur's Note: Without further ado, here is the next one-shot of my Artemis/Wally collection, Law of Polarity! It is quite different from the first one, and significantly longer, but I hope that you will all enjoy it! Once again, all constructive criticisms are warmly welcomed :)

* * *

"_To share your weakness is to make yourself vulnerable; to make yourself vulnerable is to show your strength." –Criss Jami_

Chemistry

Wally has always been incredibly fond of science.

He discovered his passion for the subject-at-hand when he was around five years old, when he preferred to toy around with the microscope kit his parents had purchased for his birthday rather than play soccer with the other kids in the neighborhood. Countless amounts of successful science fairs, competitions, and experiments (particularly the one that allowed him to acquire super speed) later, he still found the subject to be incredibly fascinating. In fact, he was so passionate about science that not only did he devote most of his free time to solving various scientific equations and formulae, but he is also more than willing to teach anyone who wants to learn.

Perhaps that was why he became stunned and confused when Artemis refused his offer to help her with her chemistry assignment. He found her one evening in the Young Justice's headquarters' kitchen looking frazzled and anxious, her slender fingers tugging at the loose hem of her plain white shirt. Her hair, usually confined in a tight ponytail, was left loose and untamed, spilling past her shoulder blades like a silky golden shawl. If Artemis was not, well, _Artemis_, he would have found her current appearance refreshing, if not downright adorable. The look of fierce concentration on her oval face, one that he had witnessed countless times during their crime missions, was enough to make him want to wrap his arms around her slim waist, or lift her delicate chin up and kiss-

"Baywatch, you've been standing behind me like a creeper for the past few minutes. Either you need something in the kitchen, or you don't. Surely that decision isn't that difficult, even for you?" Artemis snarled, not even bothering to look up as she scribbled furiously in her notebook.

"Well, seems like someone is in a good mood," Wally mumbled as he sauntered into the kitchen. He could not believe that a moment ago he had actually wanted to, well, _kiss_ this hostile creature, "I'm just here to grab some food, then I'm going to be out of your hair. Don't want to spend all night arguing with you, eh Arty?"

The blond archer winced at his special nickname for her, but for once did not bother to conjure up a witty response. She attempted, once again, to solve one of the numerous questions in her chemistry assignment, but realized that it was absolutely hopeless. Between attending school and fighting crime with the team, she barely had time to sleep, let along complete some homework from school. She would rather listen to Wally talk about _food_ for an hour than attempt to finish her assignment. It was all she could do not to crumple up the papers in front of her, and throw them into the nearest trashcan.

"So…what are you doing?" Wally asked, shutting the door of the refrigerator as he shoved an ice-cream sandwich into his mouth.

"You are disgusting," Artemis replied as the speedster filled his mouth with some chocolate-and-vanilla goodness, "And I thought you were going to leave as soon as you're done? Eh Baywatch?"

"Man, Arty, lighten up a little," Wally said cheerfully, unfazed by the blond archer's very _obvious_ desire for him to leave her alone, "Maybe I can help."

Artemis sighed, defeated by Wally's persistent nature as she ran her hands through her golden tresses, "It's just…I have this chemistry assignment due tomorrow that is worth a pretty big chunk of my grade. I know nothing about what we're doing right now in class! I barely have time to _breathe_, let alone attend some stupid, pointless chemistry lecture."

The redhead's emerald eyes immediately lit up in curiosity, and before Artemis had the chance to react he had swept her papers away and was examining them in the living room.

"Ugh, I _hate_ it when he does that." The archer groaned as she reluctantly followed him into the living room.

"Dude, these questions are ridiculously simple, I can totally help you with them!" Wally said enthusiastically, "All you have to do is…"

Artemis sighed, "No, Wally."

"Oh, come on, I'm really good at chemistry and this could save up…"

"No."

"I am serious, this could help…"

"No Wally!"

"But why not!" Wally whined in frustration while Artemis quickly whisked her unfinished assignment away from him.

"I like to figure things out on my own," Artemis replied briskly, walking back towards the direction of the kitchen, "I appreciate your help, but I won't learn anything if I don't work on it by myself."

"Well, it's your loss" Wally shrugged, annoyed that she would not let him help her, "You could be up all night you know."

"I know," Artemis replied, tossing a slight smirk in his direction, "See you later. Good night, Wally."

* * *

Why did she always have to be so _stubborn_?

That question had been twirling and dancing in his mind for the past few hours as he laid down on the sofa and flicked through TV channel after TV channel. It was as if she was driven by some sort of unparalleled motivation to prove herself, and to accept help was to admit defeat. To admit that she was not strong enough, that she had moments of weakness.

However, Wally knew all too well that weakness was a part of human nature. Too many times did his teammates rescue him during perilous missions and prevent him from making terrible mistakes. To need help was not weak; sometimes everyone needs a little push in order to reach his or her full potential.

He remembered the time Red Arrow had joined the team, and Artemis was so desperate to prove her worth that she had deceived the team and swapped the sensors on Cheshire. He remembered all too painfully the look of helplessness on her face when she realized what she had done was wrong, that she had become so consumed by her desire to prove herself that she had forgotten the rest of the team.

He knew that deep down, Artemis needed help, needed guidance, even if she would never admit it. He was determined to help her somehow, even if it was just on some stupid chemistry assignment.

Adamant to help the blond archer even if it might result in a trip to the local hospital, he sped to the kitchen, only to find it surprisingly silent. Artemis, exhausted from hours of working, was fast asleep, her head nestled comfortably in the crook of her arms. Despite her fierce demeanor and headstrong attitude during the day, she looked surprisingly soft and lush in her slumber. Her hair, free of its usual ponytail, cascaded down her slender back like a sleek golden veil. Without even thinking, as if acting on pure instinct, he gently tucked a few strands of her golden curls behind her ear, revealing a face consumed by exhaustion and sleep. Her lashes, dark and elongated, served as a stark yet lovely contrast to the pale pink tones of her soft cheeks. Her full crimson lips quivered and trembled as a light breeze passed through the room, causing Wally to swallow uneasily as he continued to stare at her sleeping form.

"For goodness' sake," Wally thought as he let out a frustrated sigh, "This is _Artemis_ we are looking at here. _Artemis_, the girl who takes delight in mocking and making fun of you whenever she can. She sneers at your jokes and calls you _Baywatch_. Pull yourself together and stop staring."

In an attempt to distract himself, Wally began to rifle through the scattered pieces of paper next to Artemis's sleeping-form on the desk. As he fumbled through her responses to the assignment, he realized she was not the best at chemistry. In fact, she was pretty downright _bad_ at it. While he was all too aware of how intelligent she is, with her swift sarcastic remarks and witty comebacks, he also knew she, just like everyone else, had to have a weakness.

He just did not realize it was going to be chemistry.

Looking at Artemis, a contented smile perched on her lips as she continued to sleep, Wally realized that she was too stubborn to ever accept help from anyone. The only thing he could do is to guide her in the dark, to prevent her from falling without ever admitting his true intentions.

Surprisingly, he was perfectly fine with that. More than perfectly fine, actually.

Smiling, he settled down on the seat next to her, picked up the pen, and began to work.

* * *

The alarm tone on her phone began to trill loudly, and Artemis groaned as she struggled to get it out of her pocket.

"_Six a.m_. Four more hours until I have to hand in this stupid assignment." She thought as she looked at the time displayed on her phone, irritation and exasperation written all over her face. She began to rub the sleep out of her eyes as she resumed to working on her assignment, but almost poked her eyes out when she realized they had all been completed.

Every single question was answered, and included thorough guides to how the response was acquired. Artemis fumbled through her papers in awe, wondering if a miracle had somehow occurred during the time she was asleep, when she came across a little doodle scrawled in the margins of her notes.

It was a badly drawn stick man, complete with a smiley face and a lightning across its chest.

_Damn you, Wally West._


	3. Inner Demon

Author's Note: I apologize for going on a hiatus subsequent to finishing the second one-shot of my collection. I had some family, school, and travel issues I had to deal with and therefore did not have a lot of time to work on my spitfire stories. However, finally, here is the third installment to the series! I hope all of you will like it and, like always, all constructive criticisms are welcomed!

"_Of all pains, the greatest pain,_

_Is to love, and to love in vain."_

-George Granvill

Inner Demon

She knew she did not deserve him.

She was acutely, painfully aware of that fact. It was like a dirty, repulsive stain that can never be removed, no matter how many times she attempted to scrub it away. She once flew among the demons, acquiring devious and conniving skills from some of the most infamous villains ever known. She had witnessed horrific scenes that are forever etched in her memory, hidden beneath a façade of confidence and composure. Sometimes she would wake up sweating profusely in the middle of the night, her sheets tangled like a nest of soft snakes around her legs, as flashes of her past haunted her in her slumber. She had attempted to create a clean slate for herself, by becoming Green Arrow's protégé, by joining a team of young superheroes, by stepping into the light. Yet remnants of her dark, bleak past continue to follow her like a lingering shadow, reminding her of the person she once was.

Wally reminded her of rays of sunshine, gleaming and unwavering. Unlike her, he approached life with an easygoing and positive manner, with no guilty conscience weighing upon his broad shoulders. He brought light into her life, with his witty banters and vibrant grins and pompous opinions. With him, she was always too busy bickering over trivial matters such as whether-ketchup-is-better-than-mustard or whether-Batman-wears-boxers-or-briefs to be contemplating about her former life.

She stared intently at him now, gently stroking his freckled cheeks as he sighed contentedly in his slumber. She knew he longed for her to be more caring and loving, to reciprocate some of the affections he showered her with on a regular basis. He often jokingly complained that he was the "sucker" within the relationship, though anyone could detect the raw emotions etched in his baritone voice.

He could not be more wrong.

What he did not comprehend is that she is falling; tumbling down into an abyss of emotions that she cannot even decipher. Every touch, every caress, every kiss lingered on her supple skin, sending delicious shivers up and down her spine. Sometimes it was all she could do not to wrap her legs around him, to press her palm against his thudding heart. It was easier to feign indifference, to pretend that she did not care as much as he did, than to succumb to the desires gnawing her inside. She did not want to become his burden, to take away the rays of sunlight that have touched so many lives.

It was only during the dead of the night, when he was asleep, can she gently ruffle his auburn locks, caress his cheeks, and whisper in his ears all the things she wish she could utter during the day.

She did not want him to live with the shadows that tormented her conscious and mind. She did not want to become his inner demon.


	4. Trust

Author's Note: Hi everyone! Here is another installment to my ongoing one-shot series "Law of Polarity". Not only is this one-shot significantly longer than the other ones that I have written, but it also contains a very special message. I know that everyone, at some point in his or her life, was either bullied or betrayed by someone they deeply loved and cared for. When horrible events occur, we often attempt to construct barriers around ourselves, to prevent others from possibly hurting us again. However, I hope through this story, people will be able to find courage to open their hearts and find love again. This story is not only about opening your heart to those that love and care about you, but it is also about embracing yourself as an unique individual. I hope that whenever you feel depressed or dejected, this story will provide you with some comfort and hope. Know that you are not alone in this world, and that there will always be people out there who love you.

Trust

"_Open your heart- open it wide; someone is standing outside." –Mary Engelbriet, Believe: A Christmas Treasury _

It was never in her nature to trust people.

She was in seventh grade when the dreadful event happened. The most popular girl in class, Christine Kimsley, was seated in the front of the classroom, surrounded by her posse of followers. She announced, loudly and proudly, that she will be hosting a thirteenth birthday party soon, and received a dozen of excited squeals in response. Artemis remembered sitting in the far end of the classroom, pretending to be engrossed in her book, while straining to eavesdrop the details of this upcoming birthday party. She had never celebrated her birthday before; between her mother serving her sentence in prison and her father's involvement in various criminal activities, she barely had time to take care of herself, let alone organize ostentatious parties and celebrations. Her sister, attempting to provide for her sibling, was always out working one odd job after another, and Artemis was forced to leave her childhood behind.

She knew her classmates, especially the girls, perceived her to be extremely eccentric and peculiar. Her school uniform was always crumpled and damp, for no one had ever taught her how to dry her clothes properly, and her shoes were worn and tattered. She also never spoke in class, for fear of revealing her parents' identities, and left people questioning her intelligence. Girls would giggle as she passed them in the hallway, or whisper hostile, catty remarks just loud enough for her to hear. She would always attempt to hold her head high and pretend she did not have a care in the world, but her eyes would be filled with unshed years. At the mere age of thirteen, she felt absolutely alone, with no family to support her and no friend to confide to.

She felt alone now, as she stared at Christine Kimsley and her gaggle of ecstatic, giggling girls. They never have to worry about whether there would be food on the table, or if their parents would ever return home. Christine especially, for she is the daughter of one of the city's most prosperous landowners. Her uniform was always pristine, her shoes clean, her entire appearance the epitome of perfection and poise.

Suddenly, Christine looked up from her animated speech, and witnessed Artemis staring at her direction. Artemis quickly averted her gaze back to her book, but the damage was done. Christine, with a devious smirk on her face, stood up from her seat and strolled over to Artemis's desk. She lifted her books from her hands, and tossed it mercilessly onto the floor.

"So, you've been eavesdropping huh?" Christine asked as she tossed her curly blond hair, "Why don't you share with us what you heard? Or are you too stupid to even understand basic English?"

"Um, that you were having a birthday party?" Artemis whispered, trying her best to avoid confrontation.

"So, _it _speaks!" Christine announced triumphantly, smiling as if struck by a sudden bolt of inspiration, "So, why don't you join us then?"

Artemis could not believe what she just heard, "What?"

It seemed like the rest of the girls were equally dumbfounded too, for they were staring at Christine as if she had lost her mind. She, however, remained composed, a wide grin fixated on her oval face, "We are meeting on Friday, in front of the city hall, at six pm. My dad will be sending a driver to pick us up. See you there then."

Deep down, she knew that Christine was not speaking the truth, that this was just all a cruel, hurtful prank. Yet, despite her overwhelming doubts and better judgment, she was at the front of the city hall at six o'clock on the dot. Her blond trusses were secured into a ponytail with a crimson ribbon, and she was wearing one of the few dresses she possessed, a blue sleeveless number with a white collar and a full, flouncy skirt. In her hands was the present she made especially for Christine, a bracelet composed of the treasured glass beads her mother had given her one Christmas. She stood in front of the marble steps of the city hall and waited, clinging to some form of desperate hope that Christine and her friends would eventually appear after all.

The girl felt something wet land on her head, and before she knew it rain began to descend from the bleak, gray sky. The pouring shower drenched her honey-colored hair and ruined her best attire, but she stayed rooted to where she was.

It was okay. It was all right. At least her tears blended perfectly with the pouring rain.

"Artemis, we're going to go out and grab dinner, and maybe watch a movie after that! Would you like to join us?" The ecstatic Martian exclaimed as she flopped down onto the couch to sit next to the blond archer, "You've been working hard for hours now, and deserve a decent break!"

Artemis looked up from her reading and smiled weakly at M'gann, whose eyes were sparkling with anticipation and excitement. She knew that it has been a while since the team's previous break from various missions, and that the Martian intended to utilize this time wisely. M'gann continued to stare at her expectantly, a wide grin fixed on her oval face.

"I'm sorry M'gann, maybe another time. I need to finish this book for my literature class tomorrow, or else my teacher will seriously kick my butt."

The red-haired alien's shoulders visibly drooped in response to her friend's excuse, and her lips began to quiver, "You _never_ come out with us, Artemis! Last time we had a break you decided to stay in and finish your math homework rather than go out to have pizza with the rest of the team."

"Who's getting pizza?"

The speedster strolled nonchalantly to the living room, giving M'gann a quick wink and grin as he passed her by. Artemis, suddenly irritated by his flirtatious gesture, quickly returned her attention to her novel. She never understood why Wally always placed the Martian on a pedestal, even after he realized she was involved with Superboy. She also did not understand why he had to wear a pair of snug dark jeans today, with a plain white V-neck tee that accentuated his muscular shoulders and taut stomach. His ginger hair, newly washed and shiny, flopped casually above his glittering emerald eyes. It was all she could do not to stare at him while he ran his callused hand through his bristle ginger locks.

Besides, she was supposedly trying to finish her reading assignment.

"Oh, I was just telling Artemis that she should come out with us tonight for a change, instead of working on her homework," M'gann replied as she looked pleadingly at Wally, "Convince her to join us!"

The blond archer sighed at M'gann's plead, "Trust me, M'gann, the last thing Baywatch here wants is for me to go out and throw sarcastic remarks at him all evening."

"Aw come on Arty, I'm not that bad," Wally replied, a mischievous grin plastered on his freckled face, "You should come out tonight, unless you are planning to bring someone back here, then in that case…"

Artemis rolled her eyes, "Yes, because I have so much free time to meet and date other guys that I can bring back here."

"Come on, that was just a joke," The speedster replied, frowning at Artemis's sarcastic remark, "You don't have to be so sarcastic all the time, you know. Life could be fun sometimes, if you could just let loose a little."

The blond archer felt as if she had just been slapped straight across the face. Normally, she could endure the speedster's various taunting remarks, even wave them off casually as if she were swatting away specks of dust perched on her shoulder. However, somehow, this one remark tugged at her heartstrings, and she began to find it difficult to breathe. Painful, humiliating memories from years ago suddenly flashed across her mind, and it was all she could do to contain her emotions.

_"Don't be so stupid and sentimental, Artemis,"_ The archer thought as she quickly straightened her posture, _"You know you're much stronger than that, and it isn't as if he called you a murderer, or anything. This is also the opinion of Wally West, one of the most obnoxious and egotistical people you know. What he says should not matter to you in the slightest."_

Yet somehow, such a comment, especially coming from Wally, strangely hurt more than she presumed it would.

"Well, since I am obviously too anal-retentive for you," Artemis said as she snapped her book shut and stood up from her seat, "I'm going to go read somewhere else, in peace. Have fun tonight."

"Artemis, wait-"

And thus she briskly walked out of the room, without bothering to listen to his reply.

Images of that young girl, standing alone in the pouring rain with her blue dress sodden and golden locks hanging limply like worn curtains against her oval face, continued to haunt and torment her. She loathed that girl for trusting others too easily, for allowing those who are not worth it to toy around with her emotions. She devoted years to carefully constructing barriers around her, to ascertain that similar events would never happen to her again. Whenever she felt hopeless or desperate, she forced herself to view that eerie image over and over again, to remind herself of why she is the person she is today.

Maybe that was why she was sitting on the edge of the shore now, with Mount Justice looming behind her and the ocean waves gently nibbling at her bare feet. She did not understand why Wally's opinion had such a large impact on her, and it irritated her immensely. The blond archer could feel that girl desperately attempting to escape the barriers surrounding her, and it was making it difficult for her to breathe. She needed this time alone to compose herself, to return to the cold-hearted, levelheaded Artemis that everyone was so familiar with.

"Hey."

She did not have to turn around to verify whom that smooth, baritone voice belonged to. Frankly, it was the last person she wanted to see, especially during a moment of weakness.

"What do you want?"

"Well…After you left, M'gann sort of got mad at me, and told me I should apologize," the speedster replied as he gingerly sat down next to the archer. Artemis flinched slightly upon seeing him, but did not move away from her position, "I thought about it, and after dinner I was all ready to swallow up my pride and apologize. However, that's not why I'm here right now."

"_Not good, Baywatch. You definitely caught me on a bad day,_" Artemis thought as she tried her best to control her anger. Between listening to him insult her and trying to compose herself, the last thing she wanted was another conversation with the speedster, "So, why are you here then? To insult me some more?'

"You see, _that's_ your problem!" Wally exclaimed, staring intently at the infuriated archer, "You never seem to want other people to, well, _truly_ get to know who you are. Whenever someone reaches out to you, you immediately run the other way like you're trying to avoid some plague."

Artemis was stunned. She thought that the barriers she had created for herself were impenetrable, yet this…this _egotistical casa nova_ had her figured out within seconds. His sparkling emerald eyes, a stark contrast to the night sky, seemed to be able to look right through her. Despite the chilly breezes traveling through the beach, she began to feel strangely flushed and uncomfortable. She quickly averted her glaze and stared at the grains of sands by her feet instead, refusing to acknowledge how accurate Wally's observations were. However, he remained unwavering in his gaze, as if he were still expecting some sort of explanation from her.

After a moment of uncomfortable silence, she could hear the speedster sigh dejectedly as he gradually began to stand up, "Well, I guess that's all I have to say. Have a good night."

Suddenly, Wally felt someone tug at the hem of his pristine white shirt.

"I wasn't always like this, you know," Artemis said quietly, hugging her knees to her pounding chest, "It's just…difficult for me to trust other people."

Wally turned around to look at his teammate, whose eyes were filled with unsaid thoughts and emotions. Her golden locks, free of its usual ponytail, cascaded down her slender back like water within a river stream. Impulsively, he gently cupped her blushing cheeks, and began to caress her face with the crooks of his thumbs. Artemis's eyes widened in surprise at his touch, but she made no effort to move his hands away. No effort at all.

"You're right, there are a lot of people out there who will deceive and manipulate you," Wally said as he continued to look at the archer, "So that's why you need to look for the people who actually love and care about you. Hiding yourself doesn't make you stronger than everyone else; it makes you lonely."

At that moment, Artemis realized what Wally said earlier that day was absolutely right. She was afraid to let loose, afraid of how others might perceive her once they realize who Artemis truly is. She had allowed one horrible experience to dictate her attitude towards life, when all she had to do was reach out to the right people.

However, with Wally right by her side, under the starry night sky, maybe, just maybe, she can get it right this time.


End file.
